Altered Corneal T-Cell Motility and Sensory Nerve Features in Older Adults With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

PURPOSE

To characterize corneal immune cell morphodynamics and nerve features, and define the in vivo immune landscape in older adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), relative to healthy age-matched adults.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 16 HIV-positive individuals receiving ART and 15 age-matched controls underwent ocular surface examinations and functional in vivo confocal microscopy (Fun-IVCM). Time-lapsed videos were created to analyze corneal immune cells (T cells, dendritic cells [DCs], macrophages). Subclinical indicators of corneal health (sensory nerve and endothelial cell features), clinical ocular surface findings, and tear cytokines (analyzed using multiplex bead-based immunoassay) were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Participants comprised mostly males (HIV 71 ± 5 years; male:female 15:1; controls 67 ± 6 years; 14:1). The HIV-positive group showed less T-cell motility at the corneal whorl relative to the control group (P = 0.01), and region-dependent differences in T-cell speed (P = 0.001) and DC area (P < 0.001). The HIV-positive group showed greater central corneal nerve fiber width (P = 0.004) and larger endothelial cells (P = 0.02). Clinical findings, corneal immune cell densities, and tear cytokine profiles were similar between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Among older individuals with well-controlled HIV infection and clinically-normal ocular surface health, this study identifies subclinical group differences in corneal immune cells (potentially indicative of a heightened, pro-inflammatory activation state in the peripheral cornea) and corneal endothelial cell morphology that parallel those in chronic inflammatory disease. This study demonstrates the utility of Fun-IVCM to evaluate subclinical immune cell features in systemic disease, which could inform the future identification of biomarkers in immune-related conditions.